No Oppo Supporters Sam Mitchell traded

[craigos]

Feel a little more at ease after reading the email. To me it sounds as if Clarko floated the idea and Sammy considered it and thought it was a really great opportunity for him and went back to the club saying so. This would explain why we got so little for him as the club felt obliged to let him get to where he had made up his mind that he wanted to be. Still sucks but makes it easier to swallow.

 

[caliente]

Yuck! I can't stomach this... call me when we've landed JOM.

 

[A Cut Above]

This is NOT about what the club receives in draft picks. It's all about looking after a Hawthorn player and ensure Sam got the best possible deal.

Hawthorn Family = Bigger than just the club.

So we now have the luxury of making deals which disadvantage our club significantly to benefit individual players? Since when in the history of our club has that ever happened? Sorry mate but I'm not buying it. Clarko is being ruthless & we're being fed spin to make this deal seem like less of a trainwreck.

We've being told football is a business and this is why we need to move on our Premiership heroes - So I expect ALL deals to benefit Hawthorn because clearly there's no room for sentimentality in this process as far as Graham Wright's concerned.
I would love to know how the Sam Mitchell deal benefits Hawthorn other than freeing up salary cap room which could've been done by trading out a couple of our other (vastly inferior) players - from which we may have even received tangible benefit from in the form of USABLE draft picks.

I'm just not buying the whole "oh, we did it as a favor to our Mitch" schtick. No way the club would trade its best player & reigning B&F winner purely to be nice, and the whole "it'll benefit his future coaching career" line seems extremely flimsy. I instead suspect that someone screwed up in underestimating how much cap room we need, or Clarko decided to radically change his view on our list after we lost to the Doggies - otherwise why the hell sign Mitch earlier in the year?

Pick 88 for a player of Sam's caliber even at age 34 is inexcusably pathetic and insulting. The whole deal stinks.

 

[muff73]

At least they don't have to see Boomer in a different team's Guernsey But you're right. Surely. We can't be doing all this for a guy we have no guarantees will even make it through a year uninjured. Our medical team has struggled with Woodward, O'Meara is a gamble

Yes they will, It will be a North Heidelberg jumper.

 

[Watsclarkosmob]

This has to be about front loading O'Meara's contract so we can get him in the PSD. Or at least saying to GC, this is the offer, take it or we'll take our chances in the PSD. If we lose anymore players that have been mentioned, I'm going to be pissed rather than just disappointed. Would of liked that pick 32 of WC's but 2xtwo pick upgrades and pick 88 WTF.

 

[hawkz]

Guys, i got a bit teary reading the letter. Is this normal??

 

[Furn2]

You can't frontload contracts in the draft.

Teams only have to match the years and money and pay it evenly

 

[muff73]

This is f***ing disgusting. We effectively get a pick in the 80's for a 5 time B & F and all time great of the game.

Criticise my post all you like but this is not the way a club sees off its legends. If this was going to be the outcome then why did we sign all of these guys to contract extensions in the first place? And we were clearly complicit in whatever discussions Lewis has had with Melbourne. It seems that now Fagan has left Clarko has gone rogue.

I understand that footy is a business and that we have to prepare for the future but this is not how you end players who have contributed what these guys have. It is not good for the fans and it is not good for the culture of the club.

I'm ok that this happened, but not wrapt about it. It's the rebuild come early. But I completely agree with you in regards to re-signing the vets that we did. Of the 4 that we re-signed this year, Sammy would've been the last I would've moved on, by a country mile. Could've even copped Lewis to Melbourne over this.

But it's done now and it sucks but I'll be renewing my membership regardless. Hang tough my Hawthorn friend.

 

[hk89]

Another thing I don't understand about this situation is why the club couldn't hold out for pick 34 from West Coast. Sure, I can see you are not going to part with a first round pick for a 34 year old, but a late second round pick would have helped the club save some face in front of the fans and members. Richmond got pick 27 as compo for Vickery to put things in context. Symbolically , 34 fits nicely as a 2 spot upgrade on the pick we used to draft him, and would have given fans some hope that we'd be able to pick out another diamond in the rough, but it is hard to muster up any positive feelings for pick 88.

Some are saying these late round picks are useful for F&S, but the way F&S bidding works these days, is that really true anymore?

 

[A Cut Above]

Nothing personal, but you're thinking too one dimensionally about this.

Pick 88 was the transaction, but we got much more out of the deal. We made room (not dollars but playing time) for the men coming up to get (Lovell, burton, ++) when still bringing in high end talent like Titch and JOM. We've created a situation where the next championship calibre midfield can get uninterrupted playing time together. And after the finals last year it was obvious that the current midfield was unable to push up to the championship again. We have dripped just that half a step off championship pace. Still good enough for a nice finish but not enough to win it all.

Also, 88 isn't worthless. The low level picks are very useful for F/S selections and balancing out trades for high end players. It seems we have collected quite a few low end picks...

No offense but that's a load of rubbish.

We "won" this deal by "making room" in the team for our next generation of players? Gee mate why don't we trade Hodge, Gibbo & Burgers for nothing too so we can "win" even more? Shit let's tell Cyril to get lost and we can start grooming our next small forward won't that be great!

Pick 88 isn't worthless? Whatever you're smoking I want some.

 

[caliente]

With this "deal" we are the laughing stock of trade week right now.

 

[muff73]

You can't frontload contracts in the draft.

Teams only have to match the years and money and pay it evenly

Good point. But that does mean O'Meara could nominate a single year contract for $1M+ (to put everyone off and with the Sammy $600K now freed up) and then re-sign midyear for another 2 at much, much less.

That would work, wouldn't it?

I don't know, hard to think straight today...

 

[Braidz]

Would have preferred Lewis traded to Melbourne than Mitchell to west coast

 

[muff73]

They didn't even get West coats 2nd round pick, what a joke.

We just gifted him like we gifted Kennedy and Mcglyn and we all know how that turned out for us.

Yep, Kennedy has won one premiership and lost 2 GF's, McGlynn won none. Meanwhile we won 3 in a row.

I'd say it turned out pretty ok for us, not so much for them.

But I, like you, am shattered about Sammy, on the same page there.

 

[hk89]

You can't frontload contracts in the draft.

Teams only have to match the years and money and pay it evenly

It is hard to see how they can stop handshake deals creating effectively front loaded contracts. It is still not a contract so above board, and means the player has to trust the club can follow through, but a 1 year massive deal with an unwritten understanding of more to come wouldn't seem out of the question.

 

[Gralin]

 

[David Schwarz]

I'm sure Port and bulldogs supporters are sickened by seeing their champions winning flags in other colours. I wasn't around for Greene but he ruled himself out of being a great of either club by slitting his career as a good player for 2 clubs.

Apologies for intruding:

Not really, the opposite if anything.

I thought Lake was cooked by the time he left, then he turned into a monster with you guys - shows you how much I know

Losing both him and Monty hurt when they eventually won, more so for the thought of "happy for them but if only it was with us..."

This will most likely sting a bit more for you, given that he's been a part of four flags and an incredible past decade.

Come his retirement though he'll always be known as a Hawk, and you guys will look back on the time fondly, this current issue probably won't get a mention around the bar in a few years time.

 

[Watsclarkosmob]

You can't frontload contracts in the draft.

Teams only have to match the years and money and pay it evenly

WTF!?!?!?! Then what is all this for?!?!?!? Someone must have ****ed up the books big time, I'm going to be pissed if we lose Hartung and/or Langford.

 

[muff73]

If I repeat it enough, it's true, right??

Both clubs entered the VFL/AFL in 1925. They have 4 Premierships, we have 13. So no, 'We are not North Melbourne'

 

[The Ghost Of Glenferrie]

From Sam Mitchell - class act till the end

Firstly, I wanted to say thank you. It has been a honour to play for the brown and gold over the last 15 years and I appreciate all the support and opportunities that I have had throughout my time at the Hawks.

There are too many people to thank, and if I mentioned all the individuals this would turn into an essay, so to the players, coaches, medical and conditioning staff and everyone who has been with me over the journey - thank you. Okay maybe just a few individuals as well. Crawf, Vanders, Hodgey and Roughy – thank you for your ongoing support and friendship.

For most of you the news on Wednesday would have come as a shock, but hopefully you can understand the logic of this decision.

At 34, with a young family and perhaps my best footy behind me, this all makes sense and it opens doors in terms of my next dream to be a coach. Some of you will be angry and think the club and I have made a big mistake which I understand but emotion aside this is the right decision for myself and the football club.

My family is the most important part of my life; a new beginning excites us all, Lyndall, Smith, Emmerson and Scarlett.

The Hawthorn Football Club has treated me and my little clan with nothing but respect and as part of their extended family. Other than another premiership, I could not have asked for a better way for my time at Hawthorn to end.

As for me, the thought of pulling on a new jumper, while still a little strange, is a great opportunity and has reinvigorated me for a new challenge.

As a kid I dreamt of playing at the MCG, playing in premierships and running through banners. However, making it to 300 games, with the same club, is something not even kids would dream of, let alone playing in four premierships.

I feel so fortunate and grateful for the last 15 years of memories.

To all of you, thank you for watching, cheering and supporting me over the journey. Thank you for all the good times and I even thank you for booing all the bad times; because every emotion that you have put into the Hawthorn Football Club has affected me and has made me want to achieve more and more.

I have loved it all and will always have brown and gold in my blood.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

With this "deal" we are the laughing stock of trade week right now.

Oh no!

Just relax and wait out the whole trade period.

I get people are emotional about trading out Mitchell, I a a bit perplexed by it aswell, but lets not chuck our toys out of the pram completely.

 

[Wesley2]

Seriously, why the **** am I looking at sam mitchell in an eagles guernsey in this thread. Trolls everywhere

 

[Billyc]

I have been told to get ready for more announcements. This fills me with dread.

 

[Bremner20]

Nothing personal, but you're thinking too one dimensionally about this.

Pick 88 was the transaction, but we got much more out of the deal. We made room (not dollars but playing time) for the men coming up to get (Lovell, burton, ++) when still bringing in high end talent like Titch and JOM. We've created a situation where the next championship calibre midfield can get uninterrupted playing time together. And after the finals last year it was obvious that the current midfield was unable to push up to the championship again. We have dripped just that half a step off championship pace. Still good enough for a nice finish but not enough to win it all.

Also, 88 isn't worthless. The low level picks are very useful for F/S selections and balancing out trades for high end players. It seems we have collected quite a few low end picks...

Agree 100% so many people cant see it .Bulldogs are the benchmark atm our midfield was smashed by theirs in that final if we want to win or work towards winning flag no14 we have to be as good as them this is the beginning of the process ,not about just being competitive never has been got to be in with a chance .I see it as an exciting time for us end of an era and process beginning to build a new one TBH I don't even care if the JOM deal falls through because I know that the club never stands still and hope that things happen they will always have a plan .This is an ideal situation for Sam Mitchell and the club been handled very professionally IMO .

 

[onthemoney]

I have been told to get ready for more announcements. This fills me with dread.

Told by who?